A village festival in Orono, a hometown celebration for Brewer Days in Brewer, a celebration of Community Days in Hudson – this weekend has it all, and of course the public is welcome.

ORONO

Village Festival

Downtown Orono will come alive with the opening of its annual Village Festival on Saturday, Sept. 8. The downtown area, Mill Street, will be closed to vehicle traffic while craft vendors, food booths, stage and children’s games fill the street.

The day starts off with the hometown tradition of a pancake breakfast at 7 a.m. in the Orono Fire Station. Tickets are $4, or $11 per family, sponsored by the Daughters of Isabella.

Downtown booths and craft vendors open at 9 a.m. Their wares range from homemade soap to pies. Informational booths about area organizations and what they offer the community also will available.

The stage will open at 10 a.m. with Velma, a local five-piece jazz and pop musical band.

The children’s game area will open at 11 a.m. with a bounce house, face painting, games and a prize table.

Throughout the day food will be available with Pat’s Pizza serving pizza slices, the Sports Caf? serving in the outside dining area, homemade pies for sale and Thai Orchid serving its menu of original Thai food.

At 11:45 a.m. the Orono Village Association will make a special presentation to the current owners of Shaw & Tenney, Steve and Nancy Holt, for celebrating its 150th year of business in the Orono community.

Noontime brings a special performance with the bluegrass sounds of Evergreen, a Maine band rich in vocals and the sounds of Joe Kennedy’s harmonica, Chris Prickett on the banjo, Nel Kennedy on bass and Steve Chiasson on guitar.

Orono Public Library will sponsor an ice cream social from noon to 3 p.m. in the Orono Fire Station.

The energetic, electric sound of rock and blues with Ragged Moon fills the stage at 1 p.m. They are sure to “get people up on their feet and shake a few windows” said guitar and vocals band member Mike Curtis. Other performers are Gail Weatherbee on vocals, Don Barry on drums and Paul Riechmann on bass.

The sounds of Trent Souder and Friends will be heard on stage at 2 p.m.

The festival has become a traditional event that introduces university students and faculty to the Orono community. It is a way for Orono to celebrate its quaint downtown district. For information, call the Orono Parks and Recreation Department at 866-5065.

HUDSON

Community Days

The town of Hudson will hold Community Days celebration:

Friday, Sept. 7

. Booth set up, 7-9 p.m.

Saturday, Sept. 8

. House and yard beautiful contest judging, 8:30 a.m.

. Line up for the parade – antique and classic cars and motorcycles, bands, decorated bicycles and tricycles, floats, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, Hudson Fire Department and G&H ambulance, 8:30 a.m.

. Concessions, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

. Games, 1-4 p.m.

. Karaoke, 1-6 p.m.

. Booth takedown, 4 p.m.

. New England baked bean supper, 6-7 p.m. Tickets in advance $6, $10 at the door. Information, 327-1303.

Sunday, Sept. 9

. Community services at the church, 9-11 a.m.

. Games, prizes and contest awards, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.

. Pig roast, 1-2 p.m. Tickets in advance $6, $10 at the door. Information, 327-1303.

BREWER Days

Brewer Days, a Hometown Celebration, will kick off 5-7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 7, with the second annual pig roast and family barbecue at Brewer Auditorium, sponsored by Brewer Youth Hockey.

Brewer Mayor Mike Celli will announce the Citizen of the Year, the New Business of the Year and the Business of the Year at 5:30 p.m.

Brewer Federal Credit Union will sponsor a street dance and block party, with music by Dana Wilson, 7-9:30 p.m. in the auditorium parking lot.

Fireworks, sponsored by the city of Brewer, will be launched at 9 p.m. from the Brewer Motor Inn Softball Field.

Saturday, Sept. 8

Saturday activities will begin with the Brewer Kiwanis Club pancake breakfast 7-9:30 a.m. in Brewer Auditorium. Tickets are $4 for adults, $2 children.

The Maine 20th Regiment will hold its encampment 8 a.m.-3 p.m. at the pool park.

The Brewer Days 3K Family Fun Run-Road Race will be held at 8:15 a.m. at Sunset Park. Participants are encouraged to preregister at the Recreation Department office. The fee is $5 a person, $15 a family.

The Brewer Historical Society will hold an open house 9 a.m.-2 p.m. at the Clewley Museum, 199 Wilson St. Old-fashioned lemonade and cookies will be served.

Children’s activities, sponsored by Brewer Super Wal-Mart, will be offered 10 a.m.-2 p.m. in the auditorium parking lot – face painting, inflatable maze, games, bounce house, dunk tank, football throw and Brewer Days Brick Award events.

The Bike Rodeo with the Brewer Police Department is set for 10:30 a.m. in the auditorium parking lot.

The 8:30 Combo Rock Band will perform 10-11 a.m. in the auditorium parking lot.

Deadline for fall cook-off entries is 11 a.m. at the auditorium. Categories are favorite apple recipe and favorite pumpkin recipe.

The Brewer Fire Department will demonstrate the Hovercraft 11 a.m.-1 p.m. at the Brewer Municipal Pool.

The children’s pie eating contest is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. at the auditorium.

The Brewer Hometown Band – Official City Ambassadors – will perform 11 a.m.-noon in the auditorium parking lot.

The children’s money grab is set for noon on the auditorium stage. Fall cook-off results will be announced at 12:30 p.m. in the auditorium.

The giant waterslide, with the Brewer Fire Department, will be open 1:30-3:30 p.m. at Doyle Field.

Flash in the Pan Community Steel Drum Band, sponsored by Trans-Tech Industries, will play 1-2:30 p.m. in the auditorium parking lot.

Country rock band Freedom, sponsored by U.S. Cellular, will perform 2:30-4 p.m. in the auditorium parking lot.

Organizers of Brewer Days credited several organizations and businesses for making the celebration possible: Trans-Tech Industries, Brewer Federal Credit Union, Brewer Super Wal-Mart, Cumulus Broadcasting, the Bangor Daily News, U.S. Cellular, Brewer Youth Hockey, Brewer Boosters Club, Brewer Kiwanis, the Maine Edge and local businesses which donated prizes.